WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — Help is available for smokers who resolve to kick the habit in the new year.
In a release Wednesday, the DuPage County Health Department says quitting smoking is one of the most important things people can do for their health.
They recommend smokers call the Illinois Tobacco Quitline, a toll-free hotline staffed by trained smoking cessation counselors. Callers can get a "quit kit" mailed to their home that includes self-help materials, such as information on nicotine replacements and stress management.
The Quitline is a service of the Illinois Department of Public Health and the American Lung Association of Illinois.
Health officials say the proportion of Illinois adults who smoke has dropped from 21.2 percent in 2008 to 16.9 percent in 2012.
